Range-finder map.



D. W. ADAMS.

RANGE FINDER MAPL APPLICATION TILED APR.18, 1911.

Patented N0v.28,1911

' witnesses 1 west- (R. 26.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL W. ADAMS, OF GLENDALE SPRINGS, NORTH CAROLINA.

RANGE-FINDER MAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed April 18, 1911. Serial No. 621,907. I

I j '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. ADAMS, a

My invention relates to an'improvement in maps which are provided with range lines extending across the district covered for the purpose of precisely locating any partlcular point or object.

\Vhilemy map is particularly adapted for use in locating fires, it will also prove to be useful for other purposes, as for instance in locating vessels in a harbor with respect to mines, etc.

The object of my invention is to provide a map which shall accurately locate an objectwhen itsdirection has been determined from two or more pos tions or stations, without the necessity of calculation or employing latitudes and departures and with.- out the use of mathematical instruments.

My invention will be understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, which represents a map embodying the invention.

The map depicted in the drawing is a portion of the national forest reserve in the southern portion of the State of Arkansas, and .was prepared for use in connection with my range finder for precisely locating forest fires. The entire district is divided into townships by vertical and horizontal lines, each township being subdir'ided into thirty six'seetions, usually one mile square.

ignated as tiers and are counted downward from the base line at the top of the map. The horizontal rows are termed ranges and are designated as so many ranges west of the meridian. Thus, station marked No.3, is in tier 4 south (T. 4; S.) and range 26 The boundary line of the forest reserve is indicated by the heavy lines. Thus it will be observed that the northeast portion of township T. 4. S. and R. 25. h, is not included in the reserve. The streams and rivers, and, if desired, the topo raphical lines are used to indicatethe physical characteristics of the land. These divisions, lines, and designations are commonly employed in maps used in the Gov-' ernment service.

number to the observation towers.

The vertical rows of township divisions are de's- Myinvention comprises the addition of deflection lines radiating from certain observation stations or towers, and boundary index lines by means of which thedesignation of any range line may be instantly observedl The circles marked No. 2, No, 3, and No. 4, indicate the location of stations which may be-p'rovided with'observation towers each of which is provided with a central sight, and a series of concentric, vertical. regularly spaced sight elements for wires, such as disclosed in my Patent No.

1.003.854, dated September 19, 1911. I have found in practice that it is most convenient to'employ one hundred and forty four sight wires at each station, which are regularly spaced around the outer wall'of the tower. The deflection lines, which radiate in all directions from each observation station, correspond with the respective sight elements.

Surrounding the diagram and forming a margin for the map upon all sides. are a series of parallel lines corresponding in For purposes of illustration, I have shown these marginal lines extending only along the top and bottom ofthe map. It will be observed thatthe deflection lines from the observation' station No. 3 terminate in the outer marginal lines, and thatthese intersections are numbered to correspond with the sight elements of the tower.' The deflection lines radiating from observation tower N0. 2 terminate in intersections with the second margina'l line, and are likewise numbered to correspond with the sight elements in tower No. 2. The lines radiating from the observation or range tower No. 4' terminate in intersections with the third marginal line, and are correspondingly designated. and if there were'additional stations, or if others were at any time added. the radiating deflection lines would terminate in the fourth. fifth, sixth, etc .,'marginal line. In actual construction of these maps, I have found it convenient to make thecirclesurrounding each tower or station and the corresponding deflection lines in one color of'inkand those of each other station in a separate distinctive "color, the marginal lines being correspondingly colored, so that the eye will recognize at a glance to what' station any deflection line belongs. This use of differentcolors also greatlyassist's the eye and makes it very easy to follow any particular range of mountains, crosses the district, it

, of the high ridge, and permit the range lines isevidentthat the stations on one side of the mountain range cannot cooperate with the stations upon the other side in .making observations of the same object. It is, therefore, unnecessary to project the deflection lines across this high ridge. Under'these circumstances, I lay out a series of parallel index lines acrossthe map upon the line from the stations upon, either side to terminate in one or another of these lines, in-

- dicatingat the points of intersectio'lrthe numerals indicating the corresponding sight element. I have shown such a series of parallel index lines running irregularly across the map from top to bottom and passing through the circle at range tower station No. 4, and it will be observed that the intersecting deflection lines from station No. 2, terminate in the third line from' the right and do not cross the ridge indicated by these parallel index lines.

When the rangers orwatchmen at each of the different stations or observation towers are provided with a map of the district made in accordance with my invention, it is a very simple matter to determine the exactlocation of a fire. If, for instance,the watchman at station No. 2 discovers smoke rising at some point, he first notes the'designating number of the deflection-line indicator or sight element which is in line with his central sight, and then signals by telephone or other means with the watchman at station No; 3. The latter sights the smoke, noting his sight element in.line therewith, and recated thereon my system of stations or obquire the services of engineers or other servation towers and intersecting deflection lines enables the rangers or watchmen to locate instantly the exact location of a fire,' as soon as observations have been taken and communicated between two stations, and that this requires no mathematical instruments or calculations and ther fore does not reskilled persons.

I In order that the ranger may readily designate therlocation of th e fire which has thus been found at the intersection of two deflection lines, I place a key diagram of a township in the margin or at some convenient part of the map, in which the 'sections are designatedv by numerals in the usual manner. Thus, in the districtchosen for example, the townships are divided into 36 sections in the manner indicated in the key diagram at the lower right hand corner of the map. It is, therefore, unnecessary toinsert these-numerals in each of the townships, as a glance at the corresponding section of the key diagram enables one to determine the'particular-number of the section. Ityvill also be observed that the creeks, rivers and other topographical features are'indicated upon the map. These are valuable to the ranger, as they enable him to know whether the fire is in proximity to a supply of water, whether the fire will likely be cut off by a stream, etc., thus enabling him to determine the best method of procedure in any case.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown a map of one of the forest reservations of this country marked by the usual township divisions, but it will be invention'is applicable-to different purposes.

Thus, the map might represent a harbor having certain obstructions, submerged mines, etc., indicated thereon, and the stations or observation towers might be used to indi-' cate precisely the position of a vessel with respect to said mines or other objects. Other uses will occur-to those skilled in engineering. r

I claim 1. A range'finder map provided with main divisional lines dividing a district into sections,'and having thereon indications representing a plurality of observation towers 0rstations and deflection lines radiating from said stations, certain of the deflection lines from each. station intersecting deflection linesfrom one or more other stations said stations and said deflection lines being desi'gnated by suitable characters. 2. A range'finder map representing a district' or locality, provided with divisional lines dividing the same into sections, and 7 having thereon indications representing a plurality of observation towers on stations and deflection lines radiating from saidstations, certain of the deflection lines from each station intersecting deflection lines from one or more other stations said stationsv and said deflection lines being-designated by suitable characters.

3. A range finder map representing-a district or locality, provided with divisional lines dividing the same into sections, and

"having, thereon' indications representing a plurality of observation towers or stationsand deflection lines radiatingfrom said stations, said stations and said deflectionlines being designated by suitable characters, and

marginal index lines corresponding in numtrict or locality, providedwithdivisionallines dividing the same; into sections, and

having thereon indications representing a pluraht of'observation towers or stations and de eetion lines radiating from said stations, certain of the deflection lines from each station intersecting deflection lines from one or more other stations said stations and said deflection lines being designated by "s'uitable characters, marginal index lines corresponding in number to the the different stations terminating in the res'pective index lines and the designatingcharacters being adjacent the said terminal intersections, and auxil-iary index lines-crossseveral stations, the deflection linesv from' v ing'the map-upon lines corresponding with high ridges or mountaln'ranges which 'intercept the range of vision between any of the stations.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' DANIEL W. ADAMS.

Witnesses: I

EUGENE C. BROWN, CHARLES N. MURRAY.

'(iopies ot this patent n aybe obtained for five cents each,-by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

